Pitchers duel morphs into extra-innings thriller between Twins, Brewers

The final score wouldn't indicate anything thrilling, but it certainly was Saturday night in Minnesota.

Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports / Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Pablo Lopez and Freddy Peralta gave the largest regular-season crowd in Target Field history a tremendous pitchers duel, and then the crowd of 41,679 was treated to extra-innings drama that saw Carlos Santana tie the game with one swing of the bat as he was down to his last strike.

Trailing 3-1 in the 11th inning, Santana was down to his last strike when he unloaded on Jakob Junis pitch for a mammoth, game-tying home run when he was down to his last strike.

SENT THAT BALL OVERBOARD! pic.twitter.com/nncvJvYp5a

— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) July 21, 2024

Santana's homer was the dessert following a main course featuring Lopez and Peralta. Lopez went seven innings and allowed just one run on four hits while striking out seven. Peralta surrended only two hits and struck out eight in six shutout innings.

Minnesota didn't score until the eighth inning when rookie Brooks Lee drove in All-Star Willi Castro on an infield single. The bang-bang play at home plate saw Castro slide in head first to tie the game 1-1.

After Santana's dramatic homer in the 11th, the game tailspinned for the Twins in the 12th as the Brewers loaded the bases with nobody out and scored five times to blow the game open 8-3 and they went on to win 8-4.

Game 2 of the weekend border battle starts at noon Sunday.